reuther



(N0 MOdBL) l l C. REUTHER 4Sheets--Sheet 1.

GRAIN METER.

Patented July 18, 1882.

Y KNO.261.2511427:j

` 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

G. REUTHER'.

GRAIN METER.

N0.261,257. Patented July 18, 1882.

N. PETERS. Fnnlc-Limgmhar. wnsaingcr.. Dv C.

4 Sheets-Sheet 8. G. REUTHBR.

GRAIN METER.

(Nu Model.)

110.261,25?. Patented Ju1y18,1882.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

C. REUTHER.

GRAIN METER.

180.281,25?. Patented'July 18, 1882,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL REUTHER, OF HENNEF, PRUSSIA, GERMANY.

GRAIN-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 261,257, dated July 1s, 1882.

(No model.)

To all lwhom zt may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL REUrHEn, a subject ot` the Emperor or" Germany, and a resident of Hennef, in the Kingdom ot Prussia, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements relating to Automatic Weighing Apparatus for Grain and other Substances, of which the i'ollowing is a specication.

rlhis invention relates to automatic weighing-machines for granular or pulverous substances or liquids, which at the saine time reg ister the quantities weighed, such apparatus consisting mainly ot' a double-armed lever or beam having at one end a receptacle for receivin g the substance to be weighed and at the other end either a constant weight or a scale for receiving varying weights; secondly, of a feed mechanism which allows exactly as much of the material to ow into the receptacle as corresponds to the said weight, and then cuts oft' the supply, and after removal ot the said charge opens the supply a gain; lastly, a mechanism for discharging the said receptacle when filled.

The accompanying drawings form a part ot' this speciticatiomand represent whatl consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Sheets I and Il ot' the drawings show the construction of the automatic weighingmachinetbrweighing granular and pulverous substances, such as grain. Figure 1 shows a side view; Fig. 2, a front view; Fig. 3, on line no .r of Fig. 2, a cross-section. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show three different positions of the'supplyregulating mechanism. Fig. l shows the position of the entire apparatus when the receptacle is being emptied. Figs. S and 9 are enlarged views of Figs. 1 and 2, clearly showing the construction and arrangement ot' the several parts.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the tigures.

A is the weighing-beam; B, the receptacle for receiving the material, such as grain; C, the tray for the weights 5 D, the feed-hopper,

. from which the grain passes through the spout el into the receptacle B.

Below the spout d are two swinging iiaps or slides, F and Gr. The flap F has one, two, or more notches, ff, in its one edge, and serves to reduce the supply of grain at intervals, so

, that it only flows through the notches ff. The

plates, g g.

fla-p G, which swings beneath F, effects periodicallythe complete cutting oif ofthe grainsnpp'ly. The flap F swings on the fixed axis E, and the flap G swings on two knife-edges, e c', formed on E, by means of the steel side The plate g has a knile-edge, e, which rests on the cup h of a rail, H. lt' the rail H is moved up or down, the flap G swings to and fro on the knife-edges c c.

The iiap F has a projection, y, which rests against a stud, x, on the side plate, g', ot' the flap Cr, so that if this is moved upward by the rail H the iiap F is carried with it. rlhe downward motion ofF is limited by a pin, yw, xed to the hopper D. lf it rests against this pin, itsloweredgealso rests againstabrush-surface, elf, attached to one edge of the spout d, and thus the owofgrainfrom thehopperis stopped, with the exception of what continues to tiow through the notches f j'.

The rail H rests with its lower end on a knife-edge, i, on a lever, I, which is pivoted at e to the receptacle B, and carries a weight, u.

A rod, K, connects the lever I with a lever, L, which is pivoted loosely upon the axis m ot' the hinged door M, by the opening of which the receptacle is emptied.

The door M is connected by a link, N, with a bell-crank lever, O, which is pivoted at o to the receptacle. It the door M is closed, the link N and lever O have the relative position shown at Fig. l.

Assuming the receptacle B to be filled, the downward pressure on the door cannot force this open, as it will be seen that if a straight line be drawn connecting the lower end, a, of the link N with the point o the upper end, a, of Nwill be situated somewhat to that side of the extension of this line on which the horizontal arm of thebell-cranlr lever O is situated, which arm is prevented by a slot, t, from descending. Thus it is only when thelever O is raised from the stud sufficiently to bring the point a to the other side of the line a o that the pressure upon the door M will be able to force it open, whereby the several parts are brought into the position shown at Fig. 7. The weight ofthe door M is overbalanced by a counterweight, M', whereby the door is closed again as soon as the receptacle B is emptied. If the receptacle B is empty and there are no weights on the tray C, the weighing -beam is in bala-nce, which is shown by the pointer al* on IOC' I the beam standing opposite the index a4 on the framin g. It' the receptacle B is empty and the tray G loaded with weights, the beam will sink on the weight side until the tray rests on the baseplate. In this position, assuming the lever I to be in the position at Fig. 1, the bar H presses with its cup It upward against the knife-edge Z of the iiap G, so as to hold both this and the flap F in the open position, as shown at Fig. 4. The spout d being now open, the grain liows into the receptacle B. Y As the latter becomes filled the beam will begin to move before the vessel has received its full charge, corresponding to the weights on the tray, because the receptacle is loaded with the additional weight of the iiaps F G resting with the knife-edge Z upon the bar H. The

- beam, with the receptacle, will descend until the flap F rests against the stud w, as at Fig. 5, whereupon the receptacle and beam will be relieved ot' the weight of F, G however "still bearing upon them. In this position the flow of grain is cut olf, all but the small streams issuing through thenotchesff, and this continued small llow will cause the receptacle and beam to sink still fart-her, whereupon the iiap G will also descend, so as to pass with its edge over the edge of the brush-surface d', and thus entirely intercept the flow of grain, as shown. at Fig. 6.

To the side plate, g, is pivoted at p a bellcrank lever, P, having a weight,p. This lever P is so arranged that while the small streams are issuing through the notches f f the center of gravity of the flap G, with all its connections, is situated above the knifeedges e e and only slightly to the right of the vertical line passing through e'. By this means, as the iiap G moves down to cut oft' the supply, its action upon the weighingbeam will become increased as theleverage of the center of gravity of the nap increases during its motion, so as to impart rapid downward motion to the beam on the side of thercceptacle. ceptacle sinks the horizontal arm of the bellcrank lever O comes in contact with an arm or stop, Q, on the framing of the machine,'where by it is raised, bringing the point n to the right ofthe line passing through a o, and the door M being now free to yield to the pressure of the contents of B, the latter will become emptied. The door M has two studs, Zand l', of which the former presses on the opening ot' the door against the lever L, thereby throwing it, together with the rod K, lever I, and rod H, into the position shown at Fig. 7. In this position the several parts remain until the receptacle is emptied, whereupon the door M in closing causes the stud Z to bear against the lever L so as to throw it over into its former position, thereby allowing the weight u to bring the parts H', I, K, and L into the position shown at Fig. 1.

If inthe position at Fig. 7 a straight line be drawn through lak', this line will pass slightly to the right of the pivot m of the door M, so

that the weight a tends to move the point 7c still farther to the right, this being, however, f

ing ofthe door the bar II, with its cup h, is'

moved down a greater distance than that through which the beam passes in ascending.

It should be noted that the weight on the lever I is sullciently heavy to ovearcome the resistance which the flaps F and G offer to the upward or opening movement. The beam A has all the properties of a regulation weighing-beam. The two arms are perfectly equal, the double knife-edges a a and a2 lie in one and the same plane, and the center of gravity ofthe beam is situated below the line connecting the two knife-edges. If, therefore, the empty receptacle is ofthe same weight as the empty weight-tray, the tongue a3 of the beam will be exactly in the central position. If weights are placed in the tray and the receptacle B is tilled to such an extent with grain as is equal to the weights, the tongue a3 will also be accurately central.

The complete cutting off of the supply to the receptacle B must not take place at the precise moment when the weight ot' the charge is exactly equal to the weights on the tray, because in that ease'an incorrect result .would be obtainedthat is, the supply ot' grain to each charge would be too great-because, first, the cutting oft' cannot take place instautaneously, but always requires an appreciable amount ot' time, during which grain will continue to tlow down into the weighed quantity in the receptacle; and, secondly, even after the cutting oft' is completed a stream of grain is still falling through the space between the iiap G and the surface ofthe grain in the -re ceptacle, which valso goes toincrease the weight of the charge. The complete cutting oft' of the IOO IIO

supply must therefore be el'ected before a` complete balance has been effected, and this must be exactly so much in advance as is necessary for the receptacle B to receive the exact charge equal lo the weights on the, balance.

As already stated, the receptacle B is loaded during the small supply through the openings f j', with the pressure exerted by the ap G upon the cup h by the knife-edge Z. The beam will consequently commence to sink on the receptacle side before having received the full charge, and this exactly as much sooner as corresponds to the extra weight put upon it by the Hap G. This pressure must be capable of being readily increased or decreased, in order that the weighing-machine may be rapidly adjusted, so that each'complete charge shall be exactly equal to the weights on the tray. The adjustment of this pressure is effected by altering the position ofthe weight p relatively to the flap G, whereby of course the position ot' thecenterof gravity of thewhole namely, the Hap G and the weight pis altered. For this purpose the lever P is cranked, the lower arm having a screw-nut, p2, pivoted to it, through` which passes a screw, p3, carried in lugs g2 g3, tiXed to the plate g on each side of the arm ot' I?. Thus by turning the screw p3 in one direction or the other the weight p will be adjusted in position relatively to the lap G. v

The catch S serves to put the machine out of action. It' this catch be moved into the dotted position, Fig. 7, it catches on the lever I, and consequently, although the door M may be closed, the lever I and bar H, with cup h, cannot return to the position Fig. i, and the supply therefore remains cut off. The beam A can now oscillate, with its tongue a3 playing to either side ofthe index at, without causing the cup It to touch the knife-edge Z.

If it is desired to ascertain whether the machine is in proper order for weighing accurately, the beam must be allowed to play as above described with the receptacle B and tray C empty, the catch being made to hold the lever I, as described, so that the beam with receptacle and weight-tray are free to play to and fro without coming in contact with the other parts.

It' it be desired to ascertain whether the grain charged automatically into the receptacle B is accurately of the same weight as the weights on the tray C, the arm or stop Q must rst be turned to one side, so as to prevent the bell-crank lever O from coming in contact therewith so as to open the door; also, I must be secured by the catch S. If the charge of grain is exactly equal to the weights, the tongue a3 will stand accurately at the index a4. If this is not the case, the screw p3 must be turned so. as to alter kthe pressure ofthe flap G on the beam A, the pressure being increased if the charge of grain is too heavy (in order that supply may be cut off sooner) and decreased it' the charge is too light. In the iirst case, therefore, the weight p must be moved more to t-he right and in the second case more to the left. By the loading ot' the beam with the weight of the iiap G no friction is produced, as the tiap hangs in knife-edges c c' and rests with its weight upon the cup h, also by means of the knife-edge Z, while the bar H, which receives the pressure, also rests with the knifeedge t' on the lever I.

The liap is not in contact with any other parts while the grain is owing through the openingsj'f, and on completion of the charge it swings freely beneath the bush-surface d', and thus intercepts the small streams of grain falling through the openin gs f j'. If, therefore,

after correct adjustment of the weight p the weighing-machine is in proper order, so that it correctly lls and weighs one charge, every other subsequent charge will be correct.

The counter T counts each discharge of the receptacle B by being actuated by a rod or arm attached to the flap G, this connection being, however, such that no friction takes place, the arm being made only to come in Contact with the counter when thc flap has cut oft' the supply.

I reserve the right to make separate application for patent for the apparatus for weigh ing liquids which originally formed part ot' this present application.

I claiml. In a weighing-1nachine,the iiap or pan G for cutting oft' the ow of grain, swung from fixed pivots and having knife-edges or pivots Z provided on the ends thereof, in combination with the lever H and connections to the grainreceptacle door, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the cut-ohc flap or pan G with the partial pan F, swung upon the same center as, working above, and controlled by, the iiap G, whereby the flow of grain is first partially checked by the interposition of the ap F, and th'en wholly stopped by the flap i G, as set forth.

3. The combination, with the iiap G and its connections to the door of the grain-receptacle, ofthe weight p', mounted upon an adjustable lever above the ilap G in such a manner as to retard the movement of the lap G fora time and then allow it to swing shut suddenly, whereby the dow of grain is cut oft' a little in advance of the complete filling ot' the receptacle, so that the grain then falling will exactly complete the lling, as set forth.

et. ln a weighing-machine, the combination of the lever H, rod K, lever L, and door M with the pivoted lever I, connected atone end with the lever H and rod K and provided at the other end with the weight a, substantially as set forth.

5. In the weighing-machine for granular and pulverous substances, the combination of the bell-crank lever O and rod N with the door M for controlling the opening of the latter.

G. In the weighing-machine for granular and pulverous substances, the combination of the bar K and levers I and L, operating together, with the studs Z and l', whereby the lever I, and consequently the bar H, that operates on flaps, are broughtinto and maintained in the lowered position while the door M is open.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Cologne, Prussia, in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

CARL REU'IHERn Witnesses:

EDUARD Itnrsnar, JACOB AUGUST SCHMIDT.

IOO

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